Parlez-vous bobo? Non? You may want to cram a little before venturing into the Marais, the trendy neighborhood in the 3rd arrondissement that is the natural habitat of the Parisian Bourgeois-Bohème, the French counterpart to the hipster. There’s much to discover and fall in love with along the cobblestone streets of this historic area, even if you only have a few hours to spare.

EAT HERE

There was Gallic eyebrow arching aplenty in 2014 when millionaire Cedric Naudon announced his ambition to turn the Marais district into the epicenter of “the stunning and delectable.” He drafted boldface name designers such as Tom Dixon and the Campana brothers to lend their talents to a slew of new gastronomic offerings—oyster bar, a butcher shop, and almost every imaginable eatery or food purveyor in between. Though it was expected to crash and burn, Naudon's La Jeune Rue project has actually been (slowly) taking root, courtesy of some rather fine openings like Korean restaurant Ibaji, lent a pop-tastic twist by Paola Navone.

SHOP HERE

Concept stores are a dime a dozen these days, but Merci, housed in a 19th-century fabric factory, draws you back time and again. (Thank its Parisian sophistication, theatrical displays, and the genuine warmth of its staff, which may be due to the fact this is a family business.) The knowledge that all profits go to charity is an extra incentive to explore the three loft-like floors filled with high-end fashion, furniture, perfumes, and household goods. Unwind in the cafe of the second-hand bookstore, or the cute canteen, whose organic produce is grown in a garden right behind the store.

Photo by Carin Olsson

Merci, one of Paris's most popular concept shops, offers an excellent selection along with eats in an on-site canteen.

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Nearly 40 years after its unveiling, Centre Pompidou, the capital’s main contemporary art hub, is still a showstopper thanks to its revolutionary tube–festooned exterior by Renzo Piano. But what keeps the crowds coming back are the thoughtfully laid-out blockbuster shows and the top-notch permanent collection, which rivals that of the Tate Modern and the Museum of Modern Art. Fall 2014 marked the unveiling of a permanent space devoted entirely to its rich photographic archive of more than 40,000 works by the likes of Brassaï and Man Ray.